A Choice for Everafter
by WRITER41319
Summary: "So which one are you gonna save?" The voice let out a gravelly laugh, devoid of humor. "Your darling Alexis?" Castle could hear the smile. "Or your beloved Kate, perhaps?" The voice's laughter boomed once again. "Cause we both know you can't save both."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello readers! This is my first fanfic, I hope to write many more, but definitely want constructive criticism to help. Feel free to PM me too. Yes, this is pretty angst-y, but I hope I can put a new spin on some story lines. This is a short introductory chapter, but I'll try to update pretty regularly and the new chapters will be longer. Reviews help too ;) Disclaimer: Castle will never, ever, beyond any reach of the imagination be mine, for a reason the universe has yet to explain. The universe prefers ABC, apparently. *pout***

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The gun being harshly shoved into his ribcage was long forgotten. All he could think of was the girl bound to the chair in front of him. Looking at him with eyes full of fear was Alexis, his daughter. He would not miss a beat to sacrifice himself in order to save her, although the thought of not being there for Alexis in the future made excruciating pain shoot through every fiber of his being. He was ready to do anything, pay anything, to give her captors every single thing he had ever touched and then some to free her. As much as he tried to keep this small part of him hidden, he knew that he would sacrifice anything and almost _anyone_ to save Alexis. Anyone except the woman being dragged into view, head repeatedly hitting the concrete floor, mouth agape, face distorted by cuts, bruises, and..._were those burn marks_? Now lying in front of him was Katherine Beckett, eyes closed and auburn hair cascading past her shoulders.

Castle's thoughts whirled through his head, all disjointed as terror sent tremors through his body. The two most important people in the world were both lying unconscious in front of him. Waves of emotions tore through Castle, visibly shaking him to his core. And then, as soon as the terror and grief had started, it stopped. Castle realized he hadn't taken one breath since Beckett had been dragged into view. He struggled to maintain clear vision, Kate and Alexis blurred into one; auburn mingled with red. That was when the rage began to boil. It started in the pit of his stomach and grew until it consumed his whole body, devouring him. His head was spinning, eyes livid, unaware of being shoved into a metal chair, of what felt like every inch of his body being bound to the chair, unaware of his captors taping and re-taping the chair to one of the many cement posts that seemed to support the towering ceiling. It was only when Castle felt the dull pain of his hands being wedged between the chair and the post that he became aware of his surroundings. He was in what looked like an abandoned construction site, but something looked oddly familiar. It was as if he had been here before when this place had been fully clothed, but now it was naked.

He was jerked from his reverie by a slap. He barely looked at the culprit, his entire being once again focusing on the girl and the woman lying in front of him.

"So nice to see old friends again, eh Rickie boy?" a gravelly voice said.

Dread filled Castle. He knew this voice, the roughened style of English with which it spoke that sounded like an echo of the centuries. This was the voice Castle had hoped to never hear again. This was the voice that haunted his dreams.

"So which one are you gonna save?" The voice let out a gravelly laugh, devoid of humor. "Cause we both know you damn well can't save both."

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**Review this and who knows what you might become... You also might wonder what happened to your pants-Castle 2x06 "Vampire Weekend"**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I am so sorry that its been over 9 days since updating. Life has been extremely hectic and since this is my first fic I've had some trouble getting on my feet. Anyway, thank you so much for all the added alerts, favorites, and reviews. They really make my day! One last note before you read: in general my chapter length is going to be much longer than the first two chapters have been, and I already know exactly what I'm doing for Chapter 3, so I may even have this updated again today (at the latest tomorrow). I should really stop rambling... OH and any suggestions you have, even tiny things, are welcome. I really need some help to not mess this up! Ok done now :)... DISCLAIMER: Castle or anything related to it is not mine. Stop rubbing it in...**

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Thousands of questions rocketed through Castle's head. _What did ..._Castle couldn't even think his name without sending his nervous system into shock…_ he mean chose? What could …_Castle inwardly screamed the names of all his books to drown out the name…_possibly want? Save? Save Alexis from what? Death? _Fear gripped Castle with vice-like intensity, his whole body recoiling from the thought. Castle finally processed the last words that the voice had spoken. _He couldn't save both. If he saved Alexis, what would happen to Kate? _Castle couldn't bring himself to entertain thoughts of the consequences Beckett would face if he saved Alexis and left her there. Castle still couldn't fathom what the point of capturing both Alexis and Kate, letting one go, and _killing _the other. It was at this point that he remembered, the bearer of this voice, this voice that wreaked havoc on everything it spoke to, a voice where a simple "Hello, how nice to see you" could make someone almost catatonic, did things most people would consider "pointless" for reasons select few could grasp. Castle tried to take a deep breath, but it only came out in shivers and gasps. The voice had already worked its magic. Castle was falling under its spell.

Castle was so deep in thought he didn't notice the voice shift its location, so when it suddenly spoke directly behind him his already faltering heart let out another exclamation.

"Richard Castle… So-called _Master of the Macabre_… It _has _been quite some time now hasn't it?" Castle's initial reaction to the long sustenance of sound coming from the voice was utterly primal. Castle wanted—no he _needed_—to run. To run and take everyone he cared about with him. To run and run until no one could find him, until his mind was free of this voice. To run until the voice disappeared… forever. Castle cursed himself for having such an instinct; reality wasn't his to create; that was why he turned to fiction. Fiction his old friend, his savior.

Just one glimpse of Alexis and Kate lying unconscious on the ground had already shattered his carefully constructed world into a million pieces. Hearing a voice that had tortured his soul since the last time it chilled his heart took those million pieces and turned them into dust.

"Oh, I do believe I'm getting the silent treatment from you, Ricky. I suppose you'll never stop feeling like the King of your little Castle." Laughter bounced from wall to wall, the volume seemingly growing with each second.

"Nevertheless, if you truly want to ignore me, may I just say how very _brave _of you. You always did have a special affection for the character of the hero. Is that what you want to be Richard? A hero? Just like a character in your book." The voice spat out the last sentence. Castle flinched, hearing the deep anger begin to emerge in the usually chillingly well-mannered voice.

"Still no response?" The voice seemed to have regained control. "Perhaps later you might feel more inclined to speak. I know you have plenty to say. The Richard I remember never seemed to run out of words."

Footsteps echoed though the cavernous room as the voice lazily wandered away from Castle. Louder, less practiced footsteps drew towards the chair. Castle felt a sharp pain on the side of his neck, and his vision slowly became fuzzier and fuzzier, smaller and smaller, like a portal closing. Finally the small hole of light left in his vision disappeared, and Castle's mind drifted back to the earlier events of the afternoon.

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**I'm sorry for how slow the pacing is right now, it'll speed up I promise! Ok so I think you guys can guess what the next chapter will be about ;). I intend to update very regularly now. What seems like a good pace? Once a week? Twice a week? Please leave a review, just click the little button and leave two words. You don't have to have an account. I should stop begging... *begs***


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